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A black two-door car was racing another car across the parkway just before midnight, police said. Police recorded the black car's speed at 127 mph. The speed limit on the bridge is 60 mph.

As the cars came over the westbound hump, the driver of the black car, John Rubio, 34, lost control and hit a guardrail. The car's front end then smashed into the left rear side of the police cruiser.

Tampa police Sgt. Thomas Miller was inside the cruiser when the cars collided. Both vehicles sustained heavy damage, but neither Rubio nor Miller was seriously injured, police said. Miller was taken to a local hospital as a precaution. He was later released and returned to duty.

Rubio was arrested on charges of unlawful racing on a highway and reckless driving. He remained in the Hillsborough County jail in lieu of $750 bail Monday.

The car with which he was racing fled the scene of the crash, police said.